


Echoes of a Lost Tomorrow

by FallingStars5683



Category: Star vs. The Forces Of Evil
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, F/M, Feels, Fights, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-10-02
Packaged: 2018-12-24 09:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12010224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingStars5683/pseuds/FallingStars5683
Summary: Moving past loss is never easy.For him, it was impossible.(on hiatus)





	1. Help Required

**Author's Note:**

> My first-ever fanfiction, brought over from Wattpad cuz ain't nobody saw it over there.  
> Please mind the poor writing, and please don't kill me for the content.
> 
> This story was created after BBtBC, so it does not follow the events of current canon. Don't complain about that, please.

The car driving up the San Diego street was not cruising for fun.

It fought through the slowly ebbing traffic, eventually reaching its intended destination and stopping in front of a parking meter. Out of the car stepped a man and his wife, both looking anxious. A short discussion was carried out as the man paid the meter.

"Honey, I know we both agreed to do this, but I just wish there was another way," the wife fretted.

The husband sighed. "Darling, you know as well as I do that nothing will get better the way things are now. This is for the good of the family."

The wife wrung her hands. "Oh, I know. It's just...scary."

"It will be alright," the husband reassured her as he squeezed her shoulders. She gave him a small smile, and together they walked into the building, the freshly painted sign bragging the words SUNSHINE FAMILY COUNSELING.

Inside, the couple redeemed their previously scheduled appointment, waited for about a half an hour, then were greeted by their new counselor, Dr. Lily Tanning. Her office was full of hand-drawn pictures from previous patients. She asked her new clients to take a seat at the small table, then sat herself across from them, pulled out a laptop, and began. "Thank you two for taking the time to come here today. Not enough people these days receive the counseling they need, and it's good that you are willing to try."

The husband waved her praise away. "You're very welcome, but in truth, we don't know where else to turn."

"It's good that you're here," Dr. Tanning repeated, "but, being perfectly honest myself, it's rare for me to have a couple's counseling session, so I'm not sure where to start."

"Oh, no, this isn't for us," the wife quickly corrected, flustered. "We were hoping you could help our son. He's going through a very rough time."

Dr. Tanning smiled as she settled back into her element. "Well, then, tell me everything you can about this new client of mine."

The couple exchanged a quick look, then the wife started. "Well, our son used to be the most rule-abiding, straight-laced child you'd ever meet. He was never late arriving for anything, never missed his homework, nothing. We never had to worry about his well-being because we could trust him to take care of himself against just about anything."

"Then, about two years ago, there was an incident that changed him," the husband continued. "He stopped doing his housework, started failing classes at school, completely changed his look, and threw the rules out of the window. We had never seen anything like it in all of the years we've raised him."

"And that's not all," the wife added in. "At least twice a week, he leaves the house in the middle of the afternoon without either of us noticing, and won't come home for hours, sometimes staying out until two or three in the morning! He won't tell us where he's gone or how he leaves so quietly, and when he comes home, he always looks as if he's gotten into a scuffle, though it's never anything serious enough to warrant real medical attention."

"We're concerned that he may have gotten himself involved with a gang," the husband finished. "It's enough to make us consider cutting off his karate lessons, but they seem to be the only thing he cares about anymore. I mean, he is a triple black belt now."

"Interesting," Tanning said, taking her notes. "Tell me, what was this incident that seems to have changed him so much?"

The wife took a deep breath, like she knew this question was coming. "His best friend was killed in a horrible confrontation involving our son."

Tanning was shocked. "That's...that's awful! I am so sorry. Was anyone else hurt?"

"No," the husband replied. "She was the only one."

"So it was a girl." Tanning was all business again, tapping a quick note into her laptop. "Is it possible your son may have had feelings for this girl beyond a close friendship?"

The husband almost smiled. "We'd say it's more than a possibility, Doctor. In fact, I am personally surprised that it didn't develop any deeper than what they had."

"Although, I figure it wouldn't have," the wife countered, "seeing as he had gotten a different girlfriend and all."

"So these feelings weren't recognized?" Tanning inquired.

"No," answered the wife, "but shortly after the tragedy, his girlfriend left him, which can't have helped his mental state at all."

Dr. Tanning finished typing her final notes and closed her laptop. "Well, you both have given me enough information now that I can begin to have an idea of how to approach this." She stood up, prompting the couple to do the same, and extended her hand. "Thank you so much for taking the trouble to meet with me today. You have no idea how much this will mean for your family's well-being."

The couple accepted the handshake unblinkingly, assuring her that it wasn't a problem at all.

As they headed towards the door, Tanning remembered: "I'm sorry, one last question - what did you say your son's name was again?"

The wife turned back to face her, one foot out the door. "Oh, I'm so sorry. His name is Marco. Marco Diaz."


	2. Aggravation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _When will I be able to return to you, o lost love of mine? ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, boy, more angst. Can't wait.

The students all heard the quiet footsteps echoing down the hallway. How could they not? His presence was too striking.

The whispers followed close behind the boy in black, seemingly clinging to his leather jacket and combat boots. Whispers about his past. About the things that he had seen and how they changed him. About everything he had lost.

They used to be his friends. Now they feared him.

Walking into his class, the boy slunk to his desk and sat down, feeling nothing but contempt for the stares he drew. The teacher, Mr. Sussex, however, never paused his lecture for one moment. This distraction was a daily occurrence for him, no matter how much he wished it weren't.

"Fitzgerald's use of a narrator that was not the main character of the story was particularly ingenious. Care to enlighten us as to why, Mr. Diaz?" The smooth call-out of Marco's tardiness incited an _oooooohhhhhh _from the rest of the class.__

__Marco knew exactly what the old man was doing, but he bit the bait anyway. "A character inclined for curious observation like Nick was the obvious choice for keeping the main character, Gatsby, mysterious, while also having someone with a real opinion still speaking." He didn't even look up from his nails._ _

__"Well said," acknowledged Sussex, not missing a beat. "This is an integral element of the story when you consider the setting of the novel. Could anyone tell me how that relates?..."_ _

__The lesson continued as usual, and as usual Marco tuned it out, opting to stare out the window instead. His thoughts didn't revolve around the lesson, nor the school, nor even the small city of Echo Creek. They spiraled out, past the edge of the solar system, into a faraway galaxy, resting on a small kingdom, and what lay in a plot in the ground. He wondered if they would ever truly leave that place and let him be at peace._ _

__Somehow, he doubted it._ _

__~o~_ _

__Already just walking through the door, Marco could tell there was something his parents needed to say. So, instead of his usual tromp up the stairs to avoid conversation, he looked over to their place in the kitchen and said, "What is it?"_ _

__His parents jumped, startled by the sound of their son actually speaking to them. Rafael quickly shifted his arm over the small stack of papers they had just been poring over two seconds ago. "Why, son, what do you-"_ _

__"Dad, I saw the papers. And you're both acting super weird, even more than usual. What the hell is going on?"_ _

__The parents exchanged a tense look. That action alone was enough to drop the temperature in the room about ten degrees._ _

__"Son, as you know, there have been some...changes in this family dynamic," Rafael tentatively started. "We believe it may have done some serious harm to this-"_ _

__"I'm sorry, honey, but you're dancing too much." Angie cut him off. Rafael shrunk back, shutting his mouth. "To put it simply, Marco, we've signed you up for regular therapy sessions."_ _

__"I'm sorry, _what??? _"___ _

____"No backtalk. We think it would be the best thing for you, sweetie. Quite honestly, we really should have done this a long time ago."_ _ _ _

____Rafael nodded in agreement and put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "It's the best thing for you, son. We don't know how to help you anymore."_ _ _ _

____Marco was incensed. They did this so...so _suddenly _and without a word to him! "So you're telling me that you're sending me to spend my time in a small room with someone I don't know to talk because you think I need _help?!! _"_____ _ _ _

________"Yes, honey, and-"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"No, it's _your _turn to listen!" Marco was so mad, he could feel the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "I don't know where you two got the ridiculous notion that I need help, much less that talking to some crackpot bitch of a stranger would make it any better! I don't need help doing anything in my life, except maybe getting you two off my ass!"___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________And with that final word, Marco turned on his heel and stormed up the stairs two at a time to his room, leaving the horrified faces of his parents behind. _Fuck. _This was just so... He couldn't believe the nerve of them! How long had they been planning this? Were they even going to tell him before the first appointment? He turned and beat his punching bag until he couldn't feel his fingers anymore, then turned to kicking. He had several new bruises on his shins by the time he ran out of steam. He sank to the floor, completely spent.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He looked around the small room. Clothes were strewn haphazardly across the floor. A half-eaten burger laid on the bed, waiting to be finished. A broken and dirty picture frame sat on the floor face-down from where it had fallen off of the crowded dresser. Good. At least his parents hadn't tried to go through his stuff while he was out. That would have really pissed him off._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He stood up and brushed himself off, then picked his way across the room to the dresser, making sure to avoid the picture frame. He opened the top drawer and reached behind all of the wrinkled garments until his fingers pulled out his dimensional scissors. Opening them, he focused on where he wanted to go, then made the cut, one he had made plenty of times before. The portal took shape before him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Stepping through, he landed in a familiar stifling loft room, decked out in elegant yet modern style. The room's only occupant was sitting in a large posh velvet chair in the corner, skimming through a book he had read before and twirling his fingers lazily through his limp hair, looking bored and sad._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Marco scuffed his boot on the floor. "Hey, Tom."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Tom glanced up long enough to see the look on his best friend's face, then immediately dropped the book and went to the wall to pull down his armor. "Hey, man. Time to go kill something?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Marco joined him at the wall and pulled down a broadsword. "Time to go kill something."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, let's all go punch Marco in the face (jk, I'm not that mean)  
> Please send me feedback: fallingstars5683.tumblr.com


	3. A New Rival?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we're getting somewhere with plot.  
> This really is a dumb fic; I'm sorry, you guys.

The forest was dark, thick, humid, and indescribably dangerous. Exactly the way the boys liked it.

Marco and Tom tromped through the thick underbrush, hacking aside gnarly patches with their swords and occasionally their boots. The sun was beating down on the heavy armor they wore that covered their entire bodies, and sweat was constantly running into their eyes from the visors, but neither one were bothered. They had done this so many times, they were practically seasoned veterans.

That wasn't helping them today, though. Marco's annoyance shone through clear as day in the unnecessary force behind his swings.

"I just don't get it!" he growled. "The tracks should have led right to that giant bear!"

"Hey, man, I don't get it, either," Tom, replied, "but you really need to just calm down and stop scaring off the game. We haven't gotten anything all day."

Marco grumbled but assented. Taking a better look at the ground, he saw other tracks as well: carnivorous birds, drag marks from giant plants, and his own swings at the ground. However, he also saw something that surprised him, because he had never seen them in this forest before.

He stood back up. "Someone else is in the forest."

Tom was unimpressed. "Idiots come in these woods all the time. So what?"

"I'm gonna follow them."

"No, don't do--" Tom's protests were cut short by Marco's abrupt exodus. "--that." Tom sighed and followed behind. He could never get his stubborn friend to listen to him anymore.

Marco's excitement was mounting. Who knows what this idiot running around alone in the woods could attract? It was the perfect opportunity! The tracks led off into a dense part of the forest, where he ran along them for another ten minutes before they suddenly stopped.

Well, hell.

Tom caught up. "What happened? You were doing so well."

"Whoever it was is gone."

"That can't be right." Tom scoured the area, but came up empty. "There's gotta be a good reason for this."

"No shit." Marco took in their surroundings. "No damage to the plants, so it couldn't have been a monster attack."

"And nothing indicating a hidden trapdoor, magical or otherwise," added Tom.

"So the only other explanation is that they..." Marco looked up into the canopy.

Just as the other knight dropped down boot first onto his head.

At least, the impression he got was that it was another knight. After getting to his feet and taking a second look, he wasn't entirely sure. He was dressed like a knight, sure, but the armor looked like heavy armor designed like it was meant to be light armor. Instead of being bulky, it was slender, easier to move in, making the wearer much faster and more agile. The overall effect, therefore, was not one of offensive strength, but of defensive elegance. In every other sense it was completely plain, though, so Marco really had no idea what to think.

The slender knight didn't say anything, but the boys got the feeling they were getting the same treatment.

Tom sent Marco a look: What do we do?

Marco's attention was on the knight: Challenge accepted.

Tom: Aw jeez.

Marco and the slender knight slowly circled each other, wary of each other's unfamiliarity. They each had no idea what the other would do. Finally, Marco became restless and lunged first, sending his sword in a quick spear towards the other's chest.

The other dodged and parried with a rapier, catching the broadsword on the intricately designed hilt.

_Man,_ Marco thought, _this guy's good._

He tried a series of step movements that always worked to maneuver him into the weak zone of a monster. The knight countered them all and spun them around until Marco's sword was wrenched from his hands. It hit the ground and cut deep into a large tree root, firmly wedging it in place.

Marco looked incredulously at the sword, then back to the knight. A smile broke out on his face and he cracked his knuckles. "Alright, if you want it that way."

Tom knew exactly what Marco was about to do. From a safe bough in the nearest tree, he called down, "Don't you dare! Your body is considered a weapon for a reason!"

"Only in three countries, asshat!" Marco called back. "And this isn't even the same dimension! Come on, this'll be fun!"

And he launched his real assault.

The slender knight was not ready. He tried to defend himself, but he was up against a triple black belt world champion. He never stood a chance.

Though he did manage to hold his own for about three minutes before Marco managed to pin him to the ground with his elbow. With their faces this close, Marco hoped to get a glimpse of his enemy's face through that visor, but he could only really see the shine of sunlight against two sparkling eyes before the knight suddenly shoved him off and stood.

He dusted himself off and rose as well. "So? Did I win or what?"

The knight only stood there, staring at him for a few moments, before grabbing up his rapier and running away.

Tom, who had spent the entirety of the fight biting his nails and whimpering softly, now slowly stood and jumped down from his branch. "That was entirely too reckless. You had no idea what that guy was capable of and you still jumped in head first like it was just another monster. What was with that guy, anyway? He acted all freaked out after you beat him, like he couldn't believe it." He took a pause. "Marco, are you alright? What are you looking at?"

For Marco was looking off after that knight, and wondering why he couldn't seem to forget that reflection of light on those eyes. It unsettled him, to say the least. But to Tom, he said, "It's nothing. He got me pretty good a couple of times, though. You want to call it a day?"

"Whoa." Tom shook his head. "One crazy fight and _you're_ calling it quits? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Hey, fuck you! I'm not in the mood." He really wasn't. Something about that knight had his head in a daze. Time to go hit the sack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL Tom, calm down.  
> Send me feedback: fallingstars5683.tumblr.com


	4. "Be Who You Were"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Thinking about someone else and wanting to be with someone else is enough reason to end a relationship_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more angsty time I'm sorry  
> lol no i'm not enjoy

The next day at school was wasted because Marco was too focused on the events of the previous day to learn.

That was the first time he had ever come across a fellow hunter in those woods, and they had easily taken down what he thought was good swordplay. He's have to ask Tom for some extra lessons tomorrow. That wouldn't happen again. Unfortunately, that would have to wait because today was his first counseling session.

This was all crowding his head as he closed his locker door and made to walk away. So, of course, he didn't see the girl he bumped into as a result.

The girl steadied him before he could fall. He glanced down at his savior.

"Oh," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, Jackie."

Jackie had not gotten much taller since freshman year, and her hair was a little longer, to her shoulders. Her style, however, had become much more reserved since then, as she was wearing a cotton sweater and khakis with a red hat. It really didn't suit who she was — a skateboarder at heart.

"Oh, it's you," she replied, and moved to walk away.

"Wait, wait," Marco said, catching her arm. "We haven't talked in forever. What's up?"

Jackie stopped and turned back to him with a look of disbelief. "What's up? Really?"

"Well, yeah, I mean–"

"What's up is nothing you need to be concerned with." She walked away.

Marco followed. "Hey, what the fuck? I didn't do anything to you!"

Suddenly Jackie wheeled around to face him again. "I haven't spoken to you because you're an asshole and I don't need that in my life!"

Marco reeled.

"I don't know what gave you the right to act like this," she continued, "but I don't care. When you start acting like you used to, come see me again. Maybe I'll tutor you in those classes you're failing."

And that was that. She finally marched away in peace, joining Janna at the next corner.

Marco was stunned. One of the last friends he thought he had had just abandoned him.

It was just him and Tom now, and they had bigger issues on their plate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all wanted to know where jackie went, well she's in this fic  
> send me feedback: fallingstars5683.tumblr.com


	5. Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The scars you can't see are the hardest to heal_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well this is super short cuz i didn't have a whole lot of time and, to be honest, it kinda speaks for itself  
> enjoy

Movement. Shouts and muffled screams. Blinding, flashing lights that pulsated in his eye sockets. The acrid smell of burning wood and flesh. An intense pressure that built up on his skull, threatening to shatter it to pieces —

Marco woke up, panting.

He looked around at his room while he waited for his breathing to settle. The moonlight coming through the dusty window fell upon the broken picture frame on the floor. He clambered out of bed and picked it up. It was half of a photo, showing a smiling fourteen year old version of him with his arm extended around into the ripped portion. Whoever was on the other side was lost save for a small pale hand around the young man's shoulder.

The night terrors hadn't plagued his sleep for months, yet even when they had been at their zenith, they had never been as real as that. It terrified him more than anything else.

_Well,_ he amended to himself, _almost anything._

Setting the frame face-down on the dresser, Marco crossed quietly to the door, crossed into the hallway, and made his way to the restroom, locking the door behind him. When his dreams got bad, there was only one thing that made them easy to forget.

Switching on the light, he turned to the small shelves above the sink and pulled down his razor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there will be more i swear  
> send me feedback: fallingstars5683.tumblr.com


	6. Of Pain and Remembrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco's first encounter with Dr. Tanning doesn't go quite like he thought it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hot damn, it's been like forever. I really need to keep up better with my stories.

Of course the damn place would be called something like Sunshine Family Counseling. Marco rolled his eyes. He was definitely in for a treat with this.

The small family walked into the office in a tense quiet, unsure of how to interact with each other. Nothing seemed like the right thing to say. Marco knew deep down that this was just as awful and uncomfortable for his parents as it was for him, but for the most part, he didn't really care. It served them right for bringing him here in the first place. They deserved to feel this way.

Didn't they?

Did he?

Marco fell into a slumped daze in his chair, tired and confused. He glanced around the small waiting room: with the exception of his parents, there were only two other parent-child duos waiting along with them. The walls were whitewashed and sterile-smelling, with happy cartoon animals dispersed sadly in odd places. The magazines looked gossipy and full of fake sugar and lip gloss. Evidently, nobody was having a good time here.

It was another mind-numbing half-hour of silent misery before his name was finally called. At that point, it actually raised his spirits just a little bit. _At least now I get a change of scenery._ He followed the secretary back to the office, with not a word of forced conversation from her. She seemed to understand that talking would do nothing for Marco's mood at that time.

They stopped about halfway down the carpeted hall at a door with a purple flower decal on it. The secretary rapped smartly on the door, and a moment later, Dr. Tanning answered, a coffee in her hand and her glasses slightly askew.

_Oh boy._

"You must be Marco!" Tanning said with a smile. "I've heard many good things from your parents!"

"Then why the fuck am I here?"

Not even missing a beat, she finished, "please, please come inside! Take a seat! Amber, thank you for bringing him down for me!"

"Whatever," Marco muttered as he dragged into the room. Amber simply nodded before carefully closing the door, effectively sealing the other two inside. Great. Now it was just them. For an hour. Alone.

Tanning took her seat on one side of the small table and asked Marco to sit opposite her. He did so without enthusiasm, slouching low and looking away.

"Now, Marco," Tanning prompted, "you seem like the no-nonsense type, so I'll get straight to the point. Your parents came to talk to me a week ago because they expressed concerns about your behavior in the past couple of-"

"You can stop right there."

Tanning blinked. She had been expecting something like this, of course, just not this soon.

"I don't need your help. I don't need to talk about my feelings or spill my guts to you just because my parents said so. You're a stranger to me. Someone who's temporary and will fall out of my life, just like every other unimportant person. Your opinion means jack shit to me, so you can save it for someone who would actually listen." Having had his say, Marco shifted into a better lounging position and stared out the window.

"I will not."

_Now_ Marco looked her in the face. This woman had balls.

"I will not sit here and act like everything is okay with you while you suffer in silence and fall apart from the inside. Not only would I not be doing my job, I would be allowing another person to subject themselves to a fate worse than death. Don't think I don't know how that feels; otherwise I wouldn't be here in this office right now."

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL?!?!"

Marco was on his feet now, face red with anger, close to Tanning's calm, assertive mask. She could see the tears beginning to pool in his eyes. Perfect. This is exactly what she wanted to happen.

"How could you possibly begin to understand how badly this hurts?!" he continued. "You don't know, you never knew her, you never felt that way about someone only to have them ripped from you!" He stopped, falling quiet. Something in his eyes seemed to begin to come to the surface, and he looked lost. Suddenly he was backing away, falling into his chair, face in his hands, rocking back and forth and choking on his own sobs. It was clear he had been holding this in for a long, long time. Now it was breaking free, too big to handle anymore.

Tanning stood up and walked around to the other side of the table, where she wrapped her arms around the poor boy's shoulders. Only then could she hear the things he was mumbling in between racking breaths: "I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Star...I couldn't...couldn't save you..."

She felt her heart tearing in half. No one should feel this. No one should be put in a situation where they end up like this. This boy was really broken. She just hadn't understood how much until now. "You don't have to answer this," she whispered, "but, if you don't mind me asking, who is Star?"

She didn't get a response. At least, not until several minutes later, when his sobs faded a little and his breathing calmed to the point where he could speak. He wiped his eyes on his leather sleeve (which didn't do much) and kept his eyes on the table in front of him. "Star was..." He hiccuped a little. "...she was everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope I'm doing this right and that I haven't just offended literally everyone.  
> Like I've stated before, this story happens outside of canon, diverging somewhere around Bon Bon the Birthday Clown. Admittedly, though, there is an aspect of this story that wasn't added until the middle of the Starbomb. I won't tell you what it is because spoilers.  
> Now, we have finished with part 1 of this story. The next chapter will be a flashback to The Incident. Prepare for some feels. Assuming I do this right.
> 
> Send feedback here: fallingstars5683.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry  
> Post complaints at my Tumblr: fallingstars5683.tumblr.com


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